Trainers

Certified JW Basketball trainers have all played or coached at the college or professional level. They are passionate about the game of basketball, but more importantly they are passionate about helping shape positive people, leaders, and contributors to society.

Our trainers have trained numerous NBA, International, National Teams, and college players from the PAC 12, ACC, Big East and Big 12 conferences. In addition, our trainers have trained athletes in 25 different countries.

Jason Wright - Director and Founder of JW Basketball

Jason Wright is recognized as one of the finest basketball trainers in the United States. He brings discipline, creativity, and dedication to student athletes. His students are some of the most fundamentally sound AAU, high school, collegiate, and professional basketball players in the world.

As a former Division 1 student athlete at the University of New Orleans, Jason earned the respect of his peers through his intense work ethic and hard-nosed approach to the game. He has competed against such NBA greats as Derek Fisher, Allen Iverson, and Jason Kidd, played professionally overseas in Europe, and was a successful walk-on at the Seattle Supersonics training camp before seriously injuring his achilles tendon.

In 2001, he formed JW Basketball and has become Southern California’s premier basketball trainer.

Michael Cage

Michael Cage is responsible for skill development training at JW Basketball for youth-professional players in power forwards and center positions. He started his NBA career in 1987 with the LA Clippers where he lead the NBA in rebounding. During his professional career he’s played over 1,140 games for the Clippers, Seattle Supersonics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, and New Jersey Nets.

In college, Michael was a tough player known for his defense and hard work on the inside. Michael Cage put up impressive rebounding numbers during his college basketball career. He played at San Diego State (1980-84) during his freshmen year, and led the nation in rebounding for much of that year.

Bob Willet

Bob Willett has been around basketball his whole life. He played high school ball in Edmonton, Canada with Archbishop O’Leary Spartans, taking MVP honors his senior year. After playing a summer with the Provincial Team, he went on to play College Basketball with N.A.I.T. College where he was instrumental in helping the Ooks win their first National Championship in 1988-89.

Bob has been Training and Coaching basketball for 16 years now. Before moving from Canada to the US, Bob spent 5 years Coaching and Training with the top basketball program in Canada called CYDC (Calgary Youth Development Center), where they developed a number of players that have gone on to play College Basketball in Canada and the United States. Three years ago, Bob and his family moved to Southern California to partnered up with his long-time friend Jason Wright from JW Basketball, to work with passionate and driven players. Bob is currently working with elementary school, middle school, high school and college players to help them meet and exceed their basketball goals.

With a focus on athleticism (strength, power, explosion), ball handling, offensive & defensive footwork and scoring, Bob’s training is for players that want to be top scorers and defenders in the game that he loves so dearly.

Brian Brennan

Brian is currently the lead clinician for both California’s premier skill development academies: JW Basketball and Intensity Basketball. He has coached at the USC’s men’s elite camp as well as Orange County’s elite camps.

Brian is a graduate of Loara High School in Anaheim, California, and is in the top 10 all time leader board in several categories at Loara in career assist and career steals. He represented his high school as a senior in both the Orange County all-star game and the LA vs Orange County all-star games. He also played at Cypress College and then briefly at Regis University before returning home to begin his coaching/training career with a masters degree in education with a credential in special education.

Brian has worked with several west coast colleges, and high schools conducting skill development programs and offensive principals. While in charge of offense as the Assistant Coach at Cypress College, they had the top 10 scoring offense in the state. He has also coached for the Fullerton Men’s program and was in charge of player development.

Jose Maldonado

Coach Maldonado attended and played high school basketball at Ocean View High School at Huntington Beach, California.

Coach Maldonado has been involved in training basketball players for over ten years and with JW Basketball for the last six. He is great concept coach and ball-handling specialist with his primary focus on player skill development for youth-college players. His knowledge of the game, and easy-going attitude makes him a favorite for many of our student athletes. He is the lead trainer and coach at all JW Basketball camps and large clinics and the director of our child-development basketball training for 3-5 year old.

Coach Maldonado is extremely active in community outreach programs and is also a High School Counselor at Ocean View.

Robert Lark

Coach Lark attended and played high school basketball at Foothill High School in Tustin, Ca. He has been coaching basketball for ten years and with JW Basketball for the past three.

Coach Lark specializes in break down moves, dribbling and defensive techniques. He is involved in training our youth-professional athletes, skills development training, and handles a variety of private session training groups at various locations. He brings an intense and enthusiastic approach to his training and his blend of unique skill development techniques, combined with his thought process on movement, is poetry in motion.

Coach Lark is a vital asset to JW Basketball. He is not just a trainer, but a great mentor, speaker, and positive representative for the goals and values of JW Basketball.

Chirag Modha

Chirag Modha is a basketball skills trainer with a masters degree in kinesiology from Cal St Fullerton. He has done numerous camps and worked with hundreds of basketball players from ages 4 and up. He joins the JW basketball staff with a strong background in Strength and Conditioning, with focus on dynamic warm-up, flexibility, balance, and coordination. Chirag also focuses on different aspects of movement performance (agility, explosive linear & lateral speed, vertical jump training) and designing sport specific drills for athletes.

Mario Soto - sports psychology

Mario Soto is a sports psychology consultant with a extensive background in basketball. He has coached and/or player at the youth, high school and collegiate level (locally as well as internationally) and studied sports and performance psychology under the well-respected Dr. Ken Ravizza at California State University, Fullerton.

Tony Falce - Personal training

Coach Falce has been turning high school athletes into Pros for over 20 years. His passion and respect for the sport is second to none. His programs are designed to help athletes develop speed, agility, balance, velocity and acceleration. His training style is unique and makes every client’s goal very achievable. Over the past six years, he has worked extensively with pro basketball and baseball players during Pre-Draft and Off-Season. Within the last few years, some of his programs have been featured in HBO Sports, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, Denver Post and Draft Express.

Falce earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1994 from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. During his time at IUP, he was a two-year starter and one of the last players in college football history to play both offensively and defensively. In 1993, he led the NCAA in quarterback sacks per plays, averaging a sack every 22 plays. Also in that year, his team played in the National Championship Game.

Falce holds 3 Certification from Personal Trainers Association (PROPTA) and has been a Master Director for the PROPTA since 2003. His Certification is in Professional Velocity Personal Trainer, Professional Private Training and Nutrition Specialist. In 2013, Falce became a Master Trainer for Stroops Performance Bands and has worked with the LA Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers and Charlotte Hornets.

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